How to Clean a Laser Mouse

A laser mouse is a dramatic improvement over the ball mouse, which gets clogged with dust. It's much easier to clean a laser mouse than a ball mouse. On the underside of a laser mouse are four soft pads which allow it to slide. The pads get sticky when dirty, making the mouse hard to move.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Piece of clean, white paper
• Two soft, clean cloths
• Mild soap
• Rubbing alcohol
• Q-tip

1. Turn off your computer to prevent shock while you clean a laser mouse. Place a clean, white piece of paper on your desk. Computer paper works fine.

2. Hold a laser mouse on the bottom edge of the paper pressing gently. Slide it from bottom to top of paper while applying gentle pressure. You should see a dark streak on the paper from dirt and grease left behind.

3. Look at your mouse pads to see if all grease has been removed. If not, use a fingernail to scrape off any remaining grease.

4. Get a dampened soft cloth or paper towel if the grease is too stubborn to remove with a fingernail. Make sure the cloth or towel is barely damp, not dripping. Moisten the mouse pads. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 until mouse pads are clean.

5. Clean the top and under surface of a laser mouse with a soft, damp cloth. Use rubbing alcohol or mild soap for stubborn grease. If you need to remove dust from the hole containing the laser, use a Q-tip.

6. Dry a laser mouse thoroughly with a soft dry cloth before using. If you accidentally got liquid inside of it, don't use it until it has air dried, which may take several days.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean a laser mouse pad or table with mild soap and water, and dry with a cloth.
• Don't use anything sharp to clean a laser mouse, such as a razor or knife blade, because it could scratch or damage the pads.

References

• Digital Inspiration
• Digital Inspiration